Killeen ISD approves school closures, consolidations to save $100 million
District optimization plan includes closing three schools by 2026
KILLEEN, Texas (KWTX) — The Killeen ISD Board of Trustees approved a series of school closures and consolidations Tuesday designed to save more than $100 million over five years, according to district officials.
The optimization plan includes closing three schools at the end of the 2025-2026 school year and making several program changes as part of what district officials call a strategic effort to improve efficiency and strengthen student programs.
Trustees voted 4-3 to close Peebles Elementary, Eastern Hills Middle School and Palo Alto Middle School following months of study and community input, officials said. Students from Peebles Elementary will be rezoned to attend Brookhaven, Richard E. Cavazos, Clifton Park and Killeen Elementary schools.
Board cites efficiency concerns
Board President Brett Williams said the closures will help student performance by consolidating resources and addressing facilities that are underutilized.
“I think we are spread entirely too thin. I think optimization gives us a chance to bring kids under, more kids under quality roofs... when we’re spread thin, I just think we lose some capacity to really impact kids,” Williams said.
Williams said the closures represent better use of taxpayer funds, citing underutilized facilities.
“We have an entire second floor of a building that is not open. It is hard to say we should continue to should keep schools open that are not at 50% capacity. I don’t know if we are being stewards of the tax payer dollar if we do that,” Williams said.
Schools face poor state accountability ratings
Eastern Hills and Palo Alto middle schools both received “F” ratings from the Texas Education Agency in recent years. In September, the district received a letter from TEA alerting them of the need to improve several schools. TEA intervenes after a school receives an unacceptable rating for five consecutive years.
According to the presentation at the board meeting, Eastern Hills is in the bottom 5% of middle schools in Texas. The school’s rating was just one percentage point away from avoiding state-required improvement.
“For 2025, the bottom 5% for middle schools, the cut point decided by TEA is 57%. That means 57% or below would be the bottom 5%. That 14 for Eastern Hills translated into a 57%. So if Eastern Hills had been a 58, they would not be in comprehensive support and improvement,” said Christiane Shin, executive director of state and federal programs.
Additional changes and future plans
Palo Alto Middle School will be repurposed as a District Alternative Education Placement facility, according to Killeen ISD.
The board also approved ending Pre-K3 programs at Fort Hood campuses and pursuing a turnaround partner for Manor Middle School through the 1882 Texas Partnerships program, officials said. Manor Middle School is another campus with multiple “F” ratings from TEA.
Board member Oliver Mintz made the motion to implement the optimization plan with one exception regarding Haybranch Elementary.
“Mr. President, I move we implement the district optimization plan as presented with the exception of keeping Haybranch open for at least one more year. I think we can make a determination after that,” Mintz said.
Future phases include consolidating Hay Branch Elementary at a later date and merging Cedar Valley Elementary and Timber Ridge Elementary at the end of the 2026-2027 school year, according to the district.
Community input and financial impact
The district collected feedback from more than 1,300 parents, staff and community members through town halls, staff meetings and an online survey, according to Killeen ISD.
Officials said the changes will save $18.7 million in the first year and more than $100 million over five years. The changes address declining enrollment and a projected shortfall in federal Impact Aid funding, officials said.
“We recognize that changes like these can be emotional for our community, but these steps are necessary to strengthen our district’s foundation,” said Superintendent Dr. King Davis.
The district will communicate directly with affected families and staff in the coming months and provide transition plans to support students.
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